Daily Devotions from Lutheran Hour Ministries

"Our Family: Together in Thanksgiving"

Nov. 22, 2004

Blessed are all who fear the LORD, who walk in His ways … Your wife will be like a fruitful vine within your house; your sons will be like olive shoots around your table. Psalm 128:1, 3

With the Thanksgiving holiday approaching, we think of celebrating together with our families or at least remember the many family blessings of the past. The ideal Thanksgiving dinner pictures a bountifully laden table with the family gathered around it.

In reality the Thanksgiving meal often features bickering and complaining. “Mom, she’s taking all the white meat.” “Why are there so many onions in the dressing?” “Can I be excused to watch football on television?” “No one thanks me for the meal – all that work and no appreciation!” “Will everyone be quiet? I can’t stand all the nagging and the noise. Why can’t we relax on a holiday?”

The psalmist, however, describes how family togetherness can be a reality. “Blessed are all who fear the LORD, who walk in His ways.” God sent His Son Jesus for us. At the cross He bridged all divisions between God and human beings, including families. God chooses us as His own people in our baptism and brings us to faith in Christ. As we grow in faith, He fills us with reverence and obedience. By His power we reach out to our family members at Thanksgiving and throughout the year.

What blessings flow from God to us by His grace! “You will eat the fruit of your labor; blessings and prosperity will be yours. Your wife will be like a fruitful vine within your house; your sons will be like olive shoots around your table’ (Psalm 128:2, 3). By faith we rejoice in God’s Thanksgiving blessings. Our family: together in thanksgiving.

PRAYER: Lord, may we enjoy gathering together with our family and offering You songs of thanksgiving and praise at this Thanksgiving season. Amen.

(Devotions from “My Daily Devotion” by Dr. Stephen J. Carter, copyright 1988 CPH. All Rights Reserved. No part of this publication may be printed, reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without prior written permission of Concordia Publishing House. Permission is granted for one-time emailing of this link to a friend. For ordering information, please contact CPH at 800-325-3040 or visit www.cph.org.)

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